Tim e for Mr Crum ley to ‘g o write a book’?

Sir, – I read Mr Crumley’s half yearly rant on wildlife persecution, as always one-sided, inaccurate and plain wrong in some instances.

I would respond to all the statements but that would require a full page as you afford him.

I will, however, respond to a couple.

He states a young golden eagle was shot in the Lothians and dumped 10 miles off the cost at Arbroath.

The bird has never been recovered so how does he know it was shot?

Every boat leaving Arbroath Harbour is logged, the bird had GPS, why do they not put the tracker information together and see what boat ‘dumped’ the eagle?

He states golden eagles and sea eagles do little harm to livestock (lambs in particular).

There is sound evidence to show over 10% of lambs are killed by raptors and foxes in the uplands of Scotland.

There was a TV programme three months ago showing five sheep farmers losing more than 10% of their lambs to raven predation.

Have you ever seen a lamb with its eyes picked out and still alive or its tongue removed?

Not a pretty sight but it happens frequently.

He wants to reintroduce lynx and wolves. Why?

Just because it seems like a good idea, just about the most insane idea he has ever come up with.

Mr Crumley needs to go write a book or something and leave others to maintain the countryside for everybody’s ongoing use. George Sangster. Woodlands, Logie, Montrose.

Picture: Peter Cairns. The golden eagle has been defended by Courier columnist Jim Crumley.